Performing and interpreting the bleeding time in the neonatal intensive care unit

The bleeding time is performed to evaluate the platelet interaction with th e vessel wall. It is a helpful clinical tool to detect and investigate cert ain hemostatic defects in neonates and to evaluate the adequacy of treatmen ts. A prolonged bleeding time indicates either a quantitative or qualitativ e platelet disorder or microvascular defectiveness. Platelet hyporeactivity in the first days of life, gestational age, platelet dysfunction secondary to various neonatal or maternal pathologic conditions, neonatal or materna l drug administration, and hematocrit must be considered for the correct in terpretation of the bleeding time test in neonates.